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Wilcox, D. (1994). The Guide to Effective Participation. Brighton: Delta Press.
Like Arnstein’s classical article on citizen participation, Wilcox’s book is not explicitly devoted to cultural policy. However, it is also an important source and corrective in any project of participatory governance in culture. Wilcox’s guide to effective participation can be seen as an upgraded version of Arnstein’s approach.
Wilcox elaborates ten key ideas on participation. The first idea introduces a five-rung ladder of participation which includes information, consultation, deciding together, acting together and supporting independent community interests. The other nine ideas cover key points in the participatory model development. They concern initiation, control, power and purpose, the roles of the practitioners, stakeholders and community, partnerships, commitment, ownership of ideas, confidence and capacity, all in the service of opening up new democratic patterns of collective planning and decision-making.
Wilcox’s understanding of participatory governance as sharing governance responsibilities among different stakeholders who have ‘a stake in what happens’ (Wilcox, 1994: 5) is also important for cultural policy, as this field involves stakeholders ranging from local administrations and public institutions to nongovernmental organizations, civil initiatives, local community representatives, artists and others.
David Wilcox – The Guide to Effective Participation